Americatalyst Events

AMERICATALYST ANNUAL EVENT

THE HISTORY OF THE EVENT: In 2002, we created a very unique, annual conference (EuroCatalyst) to raise the caliber of dialogue and debate on housing finance and related investments to challenge and debate the evolution of the housing ecosystem in the context of globalization. We made it invitation-only, and brought together an interesting mix of multilaterals and central bankers, senior policy makers, regulators, investors, issuers, banks, analysts, academics, and leaders from all sectors of primary and secondary mortgage markets. We made it interactive, so that the entire audience became part of the stage, and the entire conference became an experience. We made it challenging, with speakers debating topics in their areas of expertise, but in a context in which no one is a true expert. That context is globalization. Today, the forces of globalization have created a world increasingly beyond our control and understanding. Across every sector of society, decision-makers struggle with intensifying complexities, magnifying risks and accelerating changes, often leading to actions that result in unintended consequences. We now live in a world in which our destinies are now inextricably wed. If one major part of the system fails, the entire system is at risk. We have shifted from the freedom of independence to the constraints of interdependence.

PARTICIPANTS: To create an atmosphere of inclusion and exclusivity, the AmeriCatalyst annual event audience is limited to 350 senior executives and decision-makers who represent leading institutions from each major sector of the mortgage and residential real estate lifecycle, including: regulatory/government agencies and NGOs; universal banks, investment banks and credit unions; mortgage originators, servicers, insurers and data providers; domestic and international investment funds; hedge funds and private equity funds; and, academic and research institutions.

RENTING THE FUTURE ANNUAL EVENT

THE HISTORY OF THE EVENT: RENTING THE FUTURE was first held as a series of five high-profile sessions in September 2012 to feature the members and work of Single Family Rental Strategies (SFRS). SFRS is a non-profit think tank housed within the 501(c)3 non-profit The AmeriCatalyst Idea Lab based in Austin, Texas. SFRS was created in January of 2011 to lead, shape standards, conduct research, and promote a robust and sustainable alternative to homeownership through single-family rental. Based on the outstanding feedback on the caliber and value of the event to its participants, we expanded the event in 2013 to 8 sessions held over a 2-day period added on to the main event.

EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE: The double entendre inherent in the event title is deliberate, in that we believe that the sector is crucial in meeting the needs of individuals and families who seek to increase their mobility and retain their liquidity by securing high quality rental housing that is professionally managed and customer-centric at a fair market value. As such, we believe that due to a variety of factors including cultural shifts, demographic change, and ongoing economic volatility will only increase the growth of single-family rental in the future. We believe that the evolution of this sector is an inevitable outcome of globalization not limited to the U.S., and that its success will be replicated in other countries around the world.

PARTICIPANTS: The participants are a balanced mix of regulators, policymakers, GSEs, investors, operators, REITs, banks, servicers, think tanks, academics, and a few key data and service providers to the sector.

CONTENT: Given the “big picture” scope of both events, our sessions focus on the most important issues with content discussed at a much higher, more rapid, and more sophisticated level than traditional conferences.

AN INVITATION-ONLY EVENT: We limit our invitation-only audience to 350 participants to preserve the caliber of participants and intimacy of the event.

INTERACTIVITY: Participants are seated cabaret-style with an iPad at each table. The iPad is part of a closed circuit interactivity system, which enables participants to anonymously pose comments and questions to the stage in real time, making them part of the discussion.

POLICY OF NO MEDIA COVERAGE OR PARTICIPATION: To encourage and ensure a candid dialogue that you won't hear anywhere else, there is no media coverage of the event.

EUROPESERVICING

Whereas the annual EuroCatalyst and AmeriCatalyst events feature the entire mortgage life cycle, in 2005 EuroCatalyst launched EuropeServicing, an event focused on positioning the role and importance of mortgage administration and servicing with an emphasis on default (or “special”) servicing. The event continues to be held in London.

WHITE-LABEL EVENTS

In 2004, EuroCatalyst began producing custom, “white label” events focused on driving investment in mortgage-related fixed-income securities including RMBS and covered bonds. Our most renowned investor relations event (EuroCatalyst IN FOCUS: Nordic Covered Bonds) featured a unique financial arrangement in which EuroCatalyst charged its clients a flat market-positioning mandate fee. Its clients, in turn, charged dealers and market makers sponsorship fees, which generated a profit large enough to cover the costs of the initial mandate.

“GREAT DEBATES IN HOUSING FINANCE” WEBINAR SERIES

In 2011, AmeriCatalyst produced a series of highly attended, complimentary webinars focused on issues that matter in the housing finance industry. The series, titled “AmeriCatalyst’s Great Debates in Housing Finance,” provided a cost-effective forum to increase our exposure and the distribution of unparalleled content to an international audience.